An easy, everyday vegan lentil soup recipe made in 1 pot with budget friendly ingredients. Naturally thick, satisfying and filling! Perfect with some fresh crusty bread.
This everyday vegan lentil soup is anything but bland. It’s FULL of flavor between the spices, fresh vegetables and even a squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
I think you will LOVE this Everyday Vegan Lentil Soup! It’s:
Absolutely delicious
Budget friendly, made with inexpensive ingredients
Satisfying, filling and full of protein
Filled with greens
Kid-friendly
& SO easy to make!
What kind of lentils should I use for vegan lentil soup?
Use either green or brown lentils for this soup. Both work well; they hold their shape while thickening the soup. You could even use black lentils, but your soup will be a lot less thick. So go for green or brown!
Red lentils are wonderful in many dishes, but not this soup. They are very soft and mushy once cooked. I love using red lentils in marinara when I want to add nutrition and protein without changing the consistency very much, like in The Best Vegan Lasagna.
How do you make vegan lentil soup?
It’s easy!
First, cook the onions, garlic, carrots and celery in a bit of olive oil (or water) for about 4-5 minutes.
Next, add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT for the spinach and lemon juice. Simmer for about 30 minutes until the soup is thickened and the lentils tender.
Stir in the spinach, lemon juice and season with salt to taste. That’s it!
Enjoy the vegan lentil soup with some fresh, crusty bread if desired or even with some brown rice.
This soup recipe makes quite a bit, so consider freezing your leftovers if you don’t think you will eat it within 5 days. You can freeze it in individual containers for quick, easy meals in the future! Or freeze half of the soup in a large container or large freezer bag.
For a thinner soup, simply add more water or vegetable broth.
Substitute the baby spinach with chopped kale or baby kale, if desired. If you use regular kale you will need to cook it in the soup a bit longer, maybe 10 minutes more until tender.
I absolutely LOVE making soup in this Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven! It just somehow makes soup even more cozy. Of course all you need is a big regular pot.
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- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 14- ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 2 cups dry green or brown lentils
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 3 cups baby spinach, sliced into ribbons
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring frequently for about 4-5 minutes.
Now add the can of tomatoes (with juices), lentils, vegetable broth, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika. Stir to incorporate everything.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the soup has thickened.
Stir in the spinach and lemon juice. It will only take a minute for the spinach to wilt. Season with salt to taste.
- For a thinner soup, simply add more water or vegetable broth until the desired consistency is reached.
- If desired, blend just a few time with an immersion blender for a slightly creamier soup.
- This soup freezes well. Either freeze in individual containers or a large container for quick future meals.
- May substitute kale for the spinach, but you will need to cook the kale in the soup about 10 more minutes to get it tender.
